Dreams and aspirations

Everyone has the right to dream and think of grand ideas, or bravely imagine that they have reached their future goals. Dreams and aspirations are essential for the younger generation because they give them a sense of hope and a vision of better days ahead. These yearnings fuel their desire to realize their vision, so they learn to persevere as they single-mindedly work toward them.

The AY Foundation, Inc. (AYF) congratulates this year's awardees for their exceptional achievements. Since their founding in 1970 as the Bayanihan Foundation by Amb. Alfonso T. Yuchengco, they have committed to supporting education and community needs. Their journey has expanded from helping the children of Grepalife employees to include street children and indigenous groups.

Renamed the AY Foundation, Inc. in 1988, we launched the National Discipline Awards to honor high school graduates who embody discipline, integrity, self-sacrifice, and courage. In 2001, the foundation started the CYCLE program to instill social responsibility among awardees.

The challenges of the past year have underscored the importance of encouraging young people to dream big, courageously, and without judgment. After everything that has happened over the past four years, these young minds deserve to soar, and it is up to us to ensure they do.